Tourists and guests at hotels, motels and patients in hospitals are often confronted with easy contamination of their toothbrushes and other personal items. With the frequency of patient or guest changes and variety of items used in hotel or hospital rooms, the possibility of germs on sinks and adjoining structures is very real. To minimize problems, hospitals and hotels have provided sanitary, wrapped drinking glasses that can be disposed of after singular use. These glasses are generally constructed of an inexpensive plastic material. For convenience of usage and to conserve space, these disposable glasses are usually stacked on a counter adjacent the sinks of the bathrooms. With all of the conveniences offered by hotels, motels and hospitals such as kits containing shampoo, facial soaps, bath caps, hand lotion and toothbrushes, no provision is made for maintaining toothbrushes free from contamination. Closed toothbrush containers do not permit the brush to dry sufficiently between uses. Laying the toothbrush on the counter or sink rim to dry exposes the bristles to germs or contamination that may very likely be present on said counter. Thus, there is a need for an economical and safe way to store a toothbrush after use in these public places and a method that is sanitary and convenient to both the hotel and user.
There have been several attempts at providing disposable toothbrush holders for use in rooms of hotels, inns, motels and hospitals. Some of these holders are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,972,532; 2,177,455; 3,099,273; 3,344,930; 3,794,181 and 4,770,379.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,972,532 (McMillan), a toothbrush holder is disclosed that is constructed of paper and can be mounted on a wall of a hotel room. The holder is generally shaped like a bracket having an L-shape and adapted to be secured to a lavatory wall or fixture. The concept is to use a disposable holder that can be changed each day by the attendant cleaning the room. Accommodations have to be made to use this type bracket in order to have a locus to hang or secure the holder. Hotel rooms are not now able to accommodate this type toothbrush holder and means would have to be specially installed to use McMillan's holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,177,455 (Hackett) discloses a rectangular toothbrush and paste container that can be placed in a glass or other structure. The structure of Hackett encloses the head of a toothbrush when in storage and is removed for use. However, again, the brush is not permitted to dry properly after use and requires a user to carry his or her own closure to a hotel or other public place. Also, if a hotel room has one or two glasses, using one or both to hold a toothbrush prevents the glass from being used for its intended purpose.
The patent to Reed U.S. Pat. No. 3,099,273 describes a container for toothbrushes that can be used as a drinking glass. The Reed container has a top and bottom portion which fit together. A separable ring fits into the container for holding toothbrushes. The ring contains a plurality of slots into which the handle of toothbrushes are placed. Also, a large inner slot is positioned in the ring for holding toothpaste. This Reed container must be carried by the user and cleaned after each use to maintain its sanitary condition. The Reed container is not disposable and does not permit adequate drying of the bristles after use.
Merkel U.S. Pat. No. 3,344,930 teaches the use of a toothbrush holder that is disposable but relatively complex. The Merkel holder is made up of a tray portion with an elongated cavity and upstanding side walls to hold a toothbrush or toothbrushes. A tube of toothpaste can be supported on the tray portion of Merkel's device. While Merkel's device is disposable it is relatively complex and expensive for a disposable item. In addition, Merkel's device must be carried by the user to the hotel or the hotel (or other public place) must supply each room with a number of these supports. Merkel's device cannot be used as a beverage container and cannot be stacked in a hotel room for later usage.
Canham's U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,181, like McMillan above described, requires installation on a wall of a motel, hotel, hospital or other guest room. Each holder of Canham has a replaceable disc that is changed for the next guest to occupy the room. Each disc has a number of slots to hold toothbrushes or a mixture of slots and holes to contain the stem of toothbrushes. Each disc must be attached to the wall mounted bracket by the use of apertures located through each disc. To remove, the discs are fractured by the room attendant or maid and a new disc replaced therein. While the discs are disposable, they must be manufactured specifically for use with the mounting bracket and they must be removed and replaced on this same mounting bracket.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,379 (Estvold), a toothbrush holder is formed from a sheet of paper or other material. Each hotel guest is given a laid-out flat card or paper with a fold and apertured configured structure. The guest then folds and constructs the holders as he or she requires them. This holder must be designed and manufactured especially for guest room usage and requires assembly by the guest or by the room maid or attendant.
In summary, none of the above can be used as both a beverage container and toothbrush holder that would be conveniently used by hotels, hospitals, etc.